Closure for football cases and other articles containing an inflatable air bag or the like



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,148

' A. NIELD GLOSURE FOR FOOTBALL GASES AND OTHER ARTICLES CONTAINING AN INFLATABLE AIR BAG OR THE LIKE Filed May 8, 1925 which the air-bag' or the like and/or the in- Patented Sept. 29;, l1925.

UNITED STATES l 1,555,148` .PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD NIELD, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, AssIeNoE or- CNE-HALE 'ro GEORGE HENEYwArTs/ELICK, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

CLOSURE FOR FOOTBALL CASES AND OTHER ARTICLES GON'TAINING- AN INFLATABLE AIR BAG- OR THE LIKE.

Application filed-May 8, 1923. Serial' No. 637,501.

closures of the kind consisting of a cap or` disc adapted to be fitted in an opening in the football case or other article.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved closure of the kind referred to which will be simple and eilicient in use.

According to this invention the opening in a football case or other article, through iiation nozzle or equivalent thereof is inserted and withdrawn, is closed by a cap or disc provided on its inner side with a flexible peripheral flange, which when the cap or disc is pressed into the opening engages behind the periphery thereof or the like where it is clamped by the inflation of the air-bag or the like. The cap or disc may be provided 'with means, e. g. a plug, for closin the inflation nozzle or equivalent of the ail bag or the like, or it may have providedin it a hole through which the nozzle or the like can be drawn for iniation, and this hole and the nozzle mayl be closed by a plug having `a peri heral ange, similar to that of the cap or isc, which engages behind the periphery of the hole in the cap or disc. Alternatively, a separate hole may be providedin the case or other article for the drawing out of the nozzle or the like, and such holeand the tube or the llike may be closed by a plug as just described.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section of a football, the case of which is provided with one form of closure in Vaccordance withthe invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the closure;

- removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 illustrating an arrangement of case closure in which the latter is provided with means for closing the end of the ination nozzle of the bladder, and Fig. 4 is a like view to Fi 3 illustratin thereof. Fig. 5 is also a fragmentary section of a football showing a further modiication of the means for closing the bladder inflation nozzle. Fi 6 is a like view to Fig. 1 illustrating a orm of closure permanently secured to the case, andl Fig. 7 is a plan of the closure.

In the drawings and the following description like characters of reference indicate like parts.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, according to this way of applying the invention to a football case, to which it is especially applicable, the case 8 is provided with a circular opening 9 of appropriate size to permit of the ready insertion and removal of the bladderlO. The periphery of the hole 9 lmay be strengthened against stretching by a leather washer 11 secured on the inside of the case, or by any other appropriate means, and in conjunction with the hole there may, if desired, be rovided the usual inner flap or tongue Fnot shown). -y

For closing the opening 9 in the case we provide a cap or disc of leather, canvasbacked rubber or other suitable material 12, provided with a peripheral flange 13 of suicient fiexibility to permit of its being forced through the opening 9 when the cap or disc is pushed thereinto.

To close the opening 9 in the case 8 after the bladder 10 has been inflated and the inflation nozzle 14 sealed and pushed back into the case in the ordinary Way, the cap or disc 12 is iitted tothe opening 9 and pressed inwards until its peripheral'l flange 13 slips through the opening 9 when on the release of the pressure the flange 13 is clamped between the case 8 and the bladder 10, or between the case'and the flap or tongue, when such is employed, by the pressure of iniation and secures the cap or discl 12 in position.

When, as illustrated, the bladder inflation nozzle 14 of the kind which is normally introverted or sheathed within itself so as not to project beyond the periphery of the bladderand is adapted to be drawn out into a projecting position for initiation, the cap or. disc 12 may, as shown in Fig. 3, be provided on its inner side with a plug 15 adapted to enter and seal the iniiation a modification nozzle. Conveniently the attached to the cap or disc 12 by being formed with a. flanged head 15m which is secured between the cap or disc 12 and the disc of material which forms the peripheral flange 13, and is secured to the cap uor disc 12. With such arran ement of closure, after distention of the bla der 10, the plug 15 on .the cap or disc 12 is inserted into the indeu tion tube 14, which may be 'further sealed by a rubber band or a li ature 16, and the cap or disc pressed inwar when the projecting portion of the ination tube is introverted or sheathed and the peripheal darme 13 of the cap or disc 12 passes 'through the openingmt) 1n the case 8 and is secured as before. Y conjunction with the plug 15 there may be provided 'an annular dange 17 adapted to pass over the outer end of the indation nozzle and lie between same and the innery part ofthe/'nozzle when the 'latter is introbe @matured ends of the extensions being, if necessary,

verted or sheathed, as shown in llig. 4L.

' Instead of providing the sealing plug 15 on'V the cap or disc 12, the plug may be formed separately as shown in yFig.l 1 in which case the plug will be ttedhto the nozzle 14 and the latter will be introverted v or sheathed before the cap or disc is fitted. 0r and as shown in Fig. 5 the cap or disc may be formed with a hole 18 through which the nozzle 15 can be withdrawn for inflation. In this case the head of the plugy may serve to close the hole 18 in the cap or disc 12 and be provided with a peripheral flange 19, similar .to the flange 13 of the cap or discto engage behind the cap or disc and secure the plugin position. Alternatively,

a hole may be provided at another part of the case 8 for the drawing out of the inflation tube and the latter may` be sealed and the hole closedby a flanged plug, as just described. According to the modification lillustrated in Figs. 6 'and-7, the disc or cap 12 may be attached to the case on Ithe inner side thereof by an elastic strip or strips 20 which wvill permit of the cap or disc being removed rom the opening 9 and movedto one side for the insertion and inflation of the bladder 10 -and will assist in securing the cap or disc when fitted in position'. When the peripheral flange 13 of the cap for disc 12is made of rubber the strip or strips 20 mayby extensions thereof, the

suitably strengthened, such as by gauze, f or their' attachment for stitching or otherwlse to the case 8. In this arrangement, also, the pugY 15 may be' provided onthey cap or disc in lthough the invention has been exemplified in. its application to football cases, it

' willA be understood that the invention is Meqlally; applicable to other cases or article i dicontaimngan inflatable air-bag or the like.l

plug 15 may be What I claim as my invention and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent 1s z- 1. In combination wi'h an inflatable bag j able for passing through said opening, said dange part being clamped 1n place at the inside of the casing by the indated bag..

2. lin combination with an inatable bag having an inflation nozzle and a casing for ythe bag having therein a circularopening to register with the nozzle, a unitary closure device comprising a plug part for sealing the nozzle, a circular disc part for closing said opening, and a peripheral ang'e part at, the inner side of the disc part exible throughout so as to be yieldable and bendableefor passing through said opening, and

being clamped at the inside of the casing-by the inflated bag.

. 3. A. unitary closure device in common for a casing having an o ening therein and for an inatable bag withm the casing having an inflation nozzle registering with said opening, comprising an outer disc part for closing said opening, a thinner inner disc part of flexible material having acentral opening therein s)ecured u on the inner face of the outer disc part and projecting peripherally therefroml to form a flexible flange ieldable and bendable throughout for passing through the opening in the casing and to be clamped at the inside of the casing by the inflated bag, and a plug part for sealing the nozzle passing4 through the central opening f in the lflange-forming inner disc and having a vhead'secured between said discs.

L A unitary closure device inicommon for an inflatable bag having an introvertible inflationv nozzle and for a casing for the bag and flexiblenthroughout so as to be yieldable and bendable for passing through the opening in the casing and to be clam d at the inner side of the casing by' the in ated bags.-

5.1m combination with an inflatable bag' having an inflation nozzle and a casing for' the bag having therein an opening to reg-- ister with the nozzle, a closure device vfor said opening comprising a disc part' to close said opening, a peripheral flan e part on the disc part adjacent its inner si e and flexible throughout to be yieldable and bendable for passing through said opening and to be clamped at the inside ofthe casing by the peripheral fiange part on the disc part adiniated bag, and a flexible elastic attaching jacent its inner side and flexible throughout strip extending from the periphery of said to be ieldable and bendable for passing flange and secured at its outer end to the through, said opening, anda pairvof flexible 15 I casing at the inner side thereof. elastic attaching strips extending radially 6. A unitar closure device in common for from said flange at separated points and an inflatable ag having an inflation nozzle adapted to have their outer ends secured to and for a casing for the bag having therein the casing at its inner side. n

an opening to register with the nozzle, com- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 l. prising a plug part to close the nozzle, a disc hand.

part to close the opening in the casing, a ARCHIBALD NIELD. 

